VILLADOLID, THEA MARIE J.

BSED Math 3-A6

In your own words, answer the following. Give examples to intensify your answer.

1. What are the critical attributes of 21 st Century Education? Explain.

There are eight critical attributes of 21st Century Education: Integrated and
Interdisciplinary, Technologies and Multimedia, Global Classrooms,
Creating/Adapting to Constant Personal and Social Change and Lifelong Learning,
Student-Centered, 21st Century Skills, Project-Based and Research-Driven, and
Relevant, Rigorous and Real World.
Integrated and Interdisciplinary. In the 21st Century, knowledge is imparted
by relating it to various disciplines. This means that a certain topic can be taught in
two or more subjects knowing that they could be related or linked. That is why,
teachers are encouraged to conduct monitoring and review of curriculum in order to
come up with new strategies that will lead to integration and interdisciplinary
approach. For example, measurements can be taught in Mathematics and in T.L.E
class wherein cooking and/or baking is elective. Of course, in baking the correct
measurement of ingredients is a must. Thus, the topic measurement can be applied
to both classes.
Technologies and Multimedia. As the world continues to evolve, rapid
changes with our educational tools also pops. In the 21st century, being a computer
literate is necessary especially in education. The use of various educational
technologies and multimedia was said to improve the teaching and learning process.
This attribute implies that schools are encouraged to use and adapt technologies to
enhance learning at its best. The best example is our current situation; technologies
like online classrooms, video meetings, and other educational and productivity
applications made it possible for everyone to continue teaching and studying despite
the pandemic.
Global Classrooms. It noteworthy that one of the goals of some institutions is
to produce professionals who meet global standard and/or globally competitive
professionals. Students should be able to open their eyes and they are encouraged to
react and respond to the issues circulating around the world. Thus, the role of the
teacher is to include global issues and concerns inside the classroom setting. Some
of the issues lately is the #SaveRalph which is concerned about animal cruelty of
make up companies. This topic could be discussed in Science and ESP subjects.
Teachers could also give students a task of writing an essay about their stand of
various global issues.
 Creating/Adapting to Constant Personal and Social Change and Lifelong
Learning. This attribute imposes that learning takes place even beyond the
classroom. It does not have a standard from which you can only learn in this place or
you have to be in this certain age for you to learn. Learning is for everyone, and it is
everywhere. Also, it is not always about the academics, projects, and compliance.
Learners should be able to apply the pieces of information they gained from studying
in real-life situations. Thus, the curriculum should support students’ learning even
beyond the school and teachers should expose the students to real-world context.
One example activity for this is the Work Immersion. Since students are able to
experience to work in their chosen career before they graduate, they would most
likely to remember what they learned and apply it when they become professionals.
Student-Centered. This emphasizes that the current education system
focuses on the students and their needs. Teachers should have various instructional
strategies since they have diverse types of students. Teachers should also act as a
guide rather than spoon-feeding the students. However, learners should be given
opportunities to discover and create new knowledge, and to collaborate. An example
of this attribute is group activities. In that strategy, the students collaborate and they
learn with each other.
21st Century Skills. In this century, reading, writing, and numeracy skills were
not just the only skills which are relevant in order to cope with the changes in life and
work settings. An individual should also have critical and creative thinking skills,
problem solving skills, decision making skills, and ICT literacy and skills. Hence, the
teachers of this generation should also embody the said skills in order to pass them
to the students. A real-life example of this is when I was elementary. Since grade 1,
we already have a computer class that is why at an early age, I already know how to
use the computer, type a document, and send emails. Since I learned early, I am able
to use technology comfortably especially now that everything goes online.
Project-Based and Research-Driven. Among the attributes of the 21st century
education, this one is the most emphasized. The need of data, new knowledge, and
evidences to support a claim has become widely relevant in education. So, students
are encouraged to develop skills in doing a research. Some example activities that
address this attribute are research papers, thesis, capstones, and investigatory
projects. In fact, research and capstones are needed for a student to graduate.
Relevant, Rigorous, and Real World. Teachers should also include real-
world contexts, social issues, and current trends in teaching for the students to relate.
This is important because learners will know how to apply the taught lessons in real-
life. That way, the lessons become meaningful to the students. Having debates could
be one of the ways for the students to develop their argumentative skills. There are
lots of topics that are debatable and teachers can look onto it in news and the
internet.
2. Describe a 21st century teacher and discuss some innovative tools for learning?
A 21st century teacher must be multi-literate, who are able to use different
technologies in teaching. He must also be multi-specialist who knows not just a
certain subject. He must also be a multi-skilled individual and self-directed. Of course,
he must be a lifelong learner as he believes that learning is continuous. He can
facilitate learner-centered teaching with flexibility with the use of alternative
instructional materials. He must be a creative problem solver and critical thinker who
encourages the students to reflect and present questions, reason out, and establish
their own belief. Moreover, he must also possess the passion for excellent teaching to
ensure that the students are motivated to learn with their guide. Lastly, a 21 st century
teacher must have high emotional quotient because teaching is emotionally
challenging but is very influential since it involves social interaction.
Innovative Tools for Learning
Some innovative tools which are widely used lately are the following:
a. YouTube – This is a platform that is popular for video sharing. Users can
upload and watch videos such as movies, vlogs, and tutorial in this
application. Nowadays, it does not only provide entertainment but also
educational needs. A lot of users upload contents that aim to teach the
viewers various lessons. Moreover, in the new normal setting, some
professors upload their lectures in YouTube.
b. Social Media Platforms – Social media platforms aim for the people to
connect wherever they are. One can upload their photos, post updates, and
communicate with others. In education, Facebook has updated and one can
create a group with your class and post announcements there. It has also
become a relevant application since people nowadays communicate
through it especially the teachers and the students.
c. Wiki – Wiki is a popular software wherein we can collaborate and
communicate online. This includes Wikipedia which is an online
encyclopedia. However, Wikipedia is not that very credible for some
because it can be edited.
d. Podcasts – these are audio files that are available online. It is a trend
nowadays and one app that promotes various podcasts is Spotify.
e. Google Docs – this is just like MS Word. The difference is that Google Docs
is available online and a team can collaborate and have access in a certain
document.
3. Explain how you can integrate 21 st century education in the curriculum.
It is important to incorporate the 21 st century skills in the learning outcomes of
the curriculum. Also, when we say 21st century, technology and modernity come
along with it. Thus, the use of technological learning tools is also important. In
teaching, global issues and concerns could be raised and be open for discussion as
long as they are related to the lesson. Furthermore, the use of various instructional
strategies should be considered knowing that students have different learning styles
and they are diverse.